Lost Meaning
by FallenAngel462
Summary: Sasuke leaves on a mission but writes Sakura a note. Unfortunately, due to unexpected circumstances Sakura does not get the most important part of the message.


A/N: Hi everyone, this is my first fic, so I tried to make it light and fluffy. Hopefully I succeeded. In this fic Sakura left with Sasuke when he went to train with Orochimaru so it takes place at Orochimaru's...castle thing. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its components in any way, shape, or form, nor do I make any profit.

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_Sakura, _

_Orochimaru is sending me on a mission in the Fire Country straightaway. He will not allow me to wait for your return, no matter how much I complain. I'll probably be gone for a week or two. Be careful and stay away from Kabuto. __I l--e y-u._

_Sasuke_

Sakura's eyes squinted at the last part. It was smudged and she couldn't quite make it out, so she tossed the letter down with a sigh. Of course he would scratch something out and NOT put it on a new piece of paper. That was just like Sasuke. Shaking her head, Sakura didn't spare the letter another thought.

Two weeks later the door swung open and Sasuke strode in, looking to be uninjured yet tired. He smirked when he saw her.

"Welcome back, stranger," Sakura teased, closing her book and sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Sasuke looked slightly surprised, but shrugged it off and dumped his stuff in the corner, heading into the bathroom to take a shower.

Sakura snorted. God, was a 'hey, how are you?' so hard? Honestly, the man would never learn, she mused, picking up her book and finding her place.

When Sasuke reentered the room, wrapped in a towel, Sakura dragged her eyes back down to her book, flushing furiously. He smirked and pretended not to notice, getting dressed rather slowly. Sakura found it hard to keep her eyes from just drifting across the top of her book, so she settled for sinking down on the bed and raising the book so it blocked her view of Sasuke completely.

When she felt a weight sink next to her, Sakura felt it was safe to lower her book. Thankfully, Sasuke was dressed, and she smiled at him.

"I assume your mission was successful?" she asked, closing her book.

Sasuke smirked.

"Hn."

Sakura waited for him to say something else, and he did.

"Do you have anything you want to tell me?" he asked, and Sakura looked up in surprise, which turned to confusion as she felt she should know what he was talking about.

"Um…no…" she managed, puzzled.

Sasuke now looked confused as well, but Sakura brushed it off as she remembered something.

"Oh! I got your letter!" she grinned. Sasuke's smirk was back.

"Did you?" was his answer.

Sakura's grin widened and she rested her chin on her fist thoughtfully.

"But you know, the last sentence was smudged, so I have no idea what that said," she continued, furrowing her brows as the smirk was once more wiped off of his handsome face, replaced by dismay.

"_What?!"_ Sakura finally asked, exasperated and feeling as though she was missing a huge piece of this concept.

"You…didn't read the last sentence?" Sasuke's voice was cracked with disbelief.

Sakura now looked at him oddly. "No, I already told you. It was smudged."

She was now thoroughly bewildered. "Why? Was it important?" she asked, hoping that it hadn't been. But if it was, then it was Sasuke's fault she hadn't read it, not hers. He had splotched the last part.

Sasuke looked at her intently for a second before shaking his head. "No, not really," was his vague and untruthful answer. Sakura refused to be shut out. He had invoked her curiosity and she wouldn't give up now.

"It must have been. Why would you make such a big deal out of it if it weren't?" she inquired, sitting up and tossing her book aside.

Sasuke watched the book, then slid his eyes to her. "I'm not making a big deal out of it. You are."

Sakura's eyes narrowed, and she stood, brushing past Sasuke, who still sat on the bed, moving to her clothes drawer. With a flourish, she fished the letter out from under her underwear.

Sasuke looked amused. "You kept it in your underwear drawer?" he queried.

Sakura shrugged, plopping down next to him again. She studied the last part keenly, but could still not make out the words. Sasuke looked over her shoulder, his hand on her waist.

"If you didn't read it, don't worry about it," he grumbled in her ear, placing a chaste kiss on her neck. Sakura didn't hear. She was too busy piecing together the letters she had managed to distinguish. Suddenly it all clicked.

She froze, and Sasuke paused, looking up at her. "What's the matter?"

Sakura looked again at the letter, then at Sasuke, eyes wide. Suddenly he seemed to understand and pulled away, sitting back quietly.

Sakura folded the letter carefully and set it aside, turning to look at Sasuke, mind whirling. She couldn't believe it. It was unexpected, that was for sure. Even she herself hadn't been bold enough to declare such a thing to Sasuke for fear of appearing too much like her younger self, no matter how much their relationship had changed since then.

She knew it was hard for him to say such things, and he had probably come home looking for a response to his written confession. She didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

But looking at Sasuke's down-turned face, she moved forward to sit on her knees, reaching out to him.

"Sakura…" Sasuke began, but Sakura cut him off.

"I love you too, Sasuke," she replied softly, leaning forward to kiss him on the lips.

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A/N: Yay! First one down. And yes, I know that the letter part looks weird but I couldn't get it to strikethrough like I wanted, so I have to settle for that. Review! 


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